Helping Your Child Succeed at School

Renée B. Meloche is an instructional consultant with the Halton Board
of Education.

As a guide to help parents to obtain the best education for their
children, this book is informative and practical. Gasson, through a
question-and-answer format, addresses general issues that may arise
during a student’s years of schooling. Concerns about both elementary-
and secondary-school education are discussed, and generally helpful
counsel is offered.

The key to helping your child succeed at school, according to Gasson,
is the relationship between the parents and the teacher. Open, honest,
and constant communication can help prevent problems from arising in the
first place, and can provide a significant level of trust to deal with
any difficulties that surface. Once said, however, this then becomes
repetitive advice to deal with most issues that are classroom-based.

Gasson provides good background for general educational services, and
suggests viable reasons for behavior and attitudes. Since the system
varies from province to province and from school board to school board,
however, it is a difficult task to generalize in a way that adequately
serves all situations. The use of the expressions “schools often”
and “schools usually” could predispose parents to certain
expectations that are unrealistic in some schools or districts.

Overall, though, the counsel provided in this book is sound, and can
guide parents to effectively ensure a successful school experience for
children.